WWI: Western Front

[CptTrips]

Looking good, CptTrips! When do I get my zeppelin to fly? Just kidding (but not really); looks like a lot of fun!

Believe me, if I could think of a way to pull it off I would!

And Gotha and Handley Page bombers!!!!

Heck, even the ability to hang 2 20lb cooper bombs off fighters could be  game changer. 

It never hurts to dream. 

[Max]

Huzzah CaptTrips! Hope this comes to fruition soon. Thanks for the outstanding work.

[CptTrips]

We're getting there.  I would describe our status as: on schedule.  My goal is still an initial trial by end of May.


I told Hitech I was going to stress test his system.  I just hope the server isn't glowing cherry-red.   

[Arlo]

We're getting there.  I would describe our status as: on schedule.  My goal is still an initial trial by end of May.


I told Hitech I was going to stress test his system.  I just hope the server isn't glowing cherry-red.   

(Image removed from quote.)

We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red

[Cjpedrido]

Incredible work Sir ! 

vSKYDIVE
Devils=v=Brigade

[TwinBoom]

great idea

[CptTrips]

Well, it's not perfect, and not even finished, but it is open. 

Let's call it an Open Beta. 


The main thing we have been trying to fix is some fps chop.  I'm pretty convinced it is just a matter of number and density of the AI.  If so, my options are spread things out and make you fly further or reduce the AI count and have less targets.  We did reduce the net traffic max range and that seemed to help.  It's playable on my system, so I want to hold off on the other two less desirable choices unless it proves absolutely necessary.  So sorry if people with marginal system have too much chop.  It works decently on my machine (famous coader excuse  ).


Once in, go to the O'Club and change either Bish (Brit) or Knight (German).  Then spawn at any airfield A1-A14 and head to the front.  A1-A2 are easy mode AI and it gets harder going South.  Unless we have to take it down to tweak something, it is available 24/7 so test any time you want. IF there is a lull at the front, just start heading to the nearest enemy base.  You'll run in to a patrol.

Oh, and since field icons are baked into the CBM, I recommend right-clicking on your CBM and turning off icons but leaving field names on.

Also, I just made pure guesses on the AI difficulty.  I think A1-A2 are easy enough, and I think A13-A14 are hard enough, but I am open to input on how well I have the in between fields balanced. My goal was that A7-A8  would be the challenging, but doable range where experience AH pilots should sweat a little but still prevail.


Have fun. PM me if you have any major problems.

,
CptTrips

[Shuffler]

I will be in the trying it out.....

[Meatwad]

Missing hot air balloon duels 

[CptTrips]

Missing hot air balloon duels 

With flare pistols.  I like it!


BTW, forgot to mention.  AI doesn't go into attack mode until you get within 1500yd.


Good hunting!

[DubiousKB]

Popped in last night just to see what it was... Loved it.

Great work on the map AND the AI portion... The arena felt "lived in", even though I was alone.

Saved a few green AI's because i'm a hero like that, and then had to log. 

<S> for the hard work that went into this!

[Shuffler]

I flew tonight with server. Two others showed up roo. Was pretty fun. I shot a barrage balloon. We were flying out of A7. Thos Triplanes turn on a dime.

[CptTrips]

Thanks Dubious.  Glad you had fun!

That’s what I was going for.  People may not go in there at first when they see 0 players in there, but hopefully they will eventually realize this arena doesn’t require other players to have fun.  That is the point.  One player is as much fun as 10.  With 450 AI aircraft up at any time, you might not even run into the other players. 

You can go in there any time just by yourself and I wanted to feel like you had logged into a fully populated on-going WWI arena.  I wanted it to feel organic.  I wanted all the AI busily going about their business.  Planes taking off.  Planes landing.  Planes on the way to and from the front lines.  Planes on patrol.  Planes dogfighting over the front.  It doesn’t matter if it’s 9am, 3pm, 11pm or 4am. It doesn’t matter if it’s Saturday, Sunday, or Wed. The war is grinding away, just waiting for someone to jump in.

Of course it would be better to have a 450 human player arena filled 24/7, but not all genre can generate that kind of activity especially at certain time zones.  So this experiment was an attempt to try and provide access to those genre players might not otherwise get to enjoy. 

Like WWI.  Maybe Early War?  Mid-War?  The Mighty Eighth over Germany?  Eastern Front?  A lot of possibilities.

,
CptTrips

[Arlo]

Time to buy a new monitor (past time but I really wanna experience this).

[DubiousKB]

Thanks Dubious.  Glad you had fun!
...
Like WWI.  Maybe Early War?  Mid-War?  The Mighty Eighth over Germany?  Eastern Front?  A lot of possibilities.

,
CptTrips

If you could achieve the mighty 8th bomber formations without having their gunners be lead-calculating monsters, it would be another "oh wow" experience.

Don't worry about it until you're happy with the bugs you've exterminated in the WWI arena. Keep up the hard work sir!